Govt is set on economic reform mission, says Muhyiddin
By Foo Yee Ping, The Star
THE Government will push through difficult policy changes despite possible negative repercussions, such as higher consumer prices, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
He acknowledged that the most politically challenging item on the Government’s reform agenda was to address the fiscal position.
“But it is worth keeping in mind that the robust economic recovery and higher crude oil prices will improve the Government’s revenue collection in the coming years,” the Deputy Prime Minister said when addressing the Invest Malaysia 2010 seminar, organised by Bursa MalayÂsia and Nomura Holdings, in Tokyo on Thursday.
Almost 200 Japanese fund managers and investors attended the presentations on the Malaysian economy and the country’s potential as an investment destination.
“This noise does not distract us from our main mission of economic reform.”
As the global economy recovers, he said, “the political environment will be increasingly favourable for the Government to make difficult but necessary economic decisions.”
To captivate potential Japanese investors, he talked about how Malaysia had weathered the economic crisis due to its robust financial system.
“Being at the heart of Asean, with progressive pro-business policies and an ambitious Economic TransÂformation Programme, Malaysia is set to take the stage as Asean’s most vibrant investment destination.”
In YOKOHAMA, where Muhyiddin arrived later in the day for the two-day Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister told a press conference that Japanese investors were keen about Malaysia although they did not wish to “put all their eggs in one basket”.
“What’s important is for us to engage them; we have to be more aggressive,” he said, noting the stiff competition for investments among countries in the region.
Muhyiddin also met Microsoft Corporation chief research and strategy officer Craig Mundie.
They discussed ways the company could help in capacity building in view of the Government’s effort to equip schools with ICT facilities.
